Week 27: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12

Below is a look at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 going into the first race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.8

2008 Rundown

• Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s

• Average finish of 9.9

• Led 19 races for 1,633 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 92.4

• One win, three top fives

• Average finish of 15.7

• Finished 25th in June’s NHMS race

• Led three of seven races for 176 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• Series-high Average Running Position of 9.3

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.6

2008 Rundown

• Six wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s

• Average finish of 10.1

• Led 14 races for 636 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 83.1

• One top five

• Average finish of 14.1

• Finished 17th in June

• Led one of eight races for two laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• Series-high 716 Fastest Laps Run

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.9

2008 Rundown

• Four wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s

• Average finish of 12.4

• Led 20 races for 998 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 98.3

• Two wins, three top fives, eight top 10s

• Average finish of 10.5

• Finished ninth in June

• Led four of 13 races for 85 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• Average Running Position of 10.6, second-best

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.3

2008 Rundown

• One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s

• Average finish of 12.3

• Led 18 races for 796 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 100.1

• Four top fives, seven top 10s

• Average finish of 17.8

• Finished 24th in June

• Led eight of 18 races for 272 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• 470 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 79.0

2008 Rundown

• One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s

• Average finish of 15.7

• Led four races for 150 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 89.8

• One win; one pole

• Average finish of 22.2

• Finished 22nd in June

• Led two of five races for 245 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• 189 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 11th-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.7

2008 Rundown

• One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s

• Average finish of 15.3

• Led 12 races for 700 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 104.0

• One win, two top fives, four top 10s

• Average finish of 6.8

• Finished eighth in June

• Led three of five races for 51 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• Series-high 1,194 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.7

2008 Rundown

• One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s

• Average finish of 12.6

• Led 10 races for 74 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 94.6

• Four wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s

• Average finish of 13.1

• Finished 12th in June

• Led 10 of 27 races for 694 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• 1,115 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.8

2008 Rundown

• Nine top fives, 13 top 10s

• Average finish of 14.5

• Led 11 races for 555 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 118.6

• Two wins, 10 top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole

• Average finish of 12.8

• Finished 13th in June

• Led 10 of 19 races for 935 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• 295 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.1

2008 Rundown

• Eight top fives, 11 top 10s

• Average finish of 14.3

• Led 12 races for 341 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 84.3

• Three top fives, four top 10s

• Average finish of 19.5

• Finished 21st in June

• Led two of 12 races for 26 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• 314 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.1

2008 Rundown

• Nine top fives, 12 top 10s

• Average finish of 15.1

• Led 14 races for 279 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 108.7

• Three wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles

• Average finish of 11.6

• Finished 11th in June

• Led 17 of 27 races for 1,141 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• Average Running Position of 12.0, fifth-best

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.6

2008 Rundown

• Six top fives, 12 top 10s

• Average finish of 13.6

• Led five races for 168 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 104.3

• One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

• Average finish of 12.7

• Finished 14th in June

• Led eight of 15 races for 318 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• Seventh-fastest average Green Flag Speed rank

• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.8

2008 Rundown

• Six top fives, 15 top 10s

• Average finish of 16.0

• Led 13 races for 204 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

• Driver Rating of 87.8

• Five top fives, 11 top 10s

• Average finish of 10.9

• Finished 18th in June

• Led five of 17 races for 88 laps

Season-to-Date Loop Data Highlight

• 189 Fastest Laps Run, tied for 11th-most

The Chase is On The Top 12 Following Race 26 of 36

1. Kyle Busch 5,080 8 26 1 111.8

2. Carl Edwards 5,050* 6 22 2 105.6

3. Jimmie Johnson 5,040 4 22 3 103.9

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5,010 1 25 4 101.3

5. Clint Bowyer 5,010 1 19 12 79.0

6. Denny Hamlin 5,010 1 22 11 95.7

7. Jeff Burton 5,010 1 26 5 88.7

8. Tony Stewart 5,000 0 26 8 95.8

9. Greg Biffle 5,000 0 26 6 91.1

10. Jeff Gordon 5,000 0 17 10 95.1

11. Kevin Harvick 5,000 0 22 7 89.6

12. Matt Kenseth 5,000 0 12 9 86.8

13. Kasey Kahne 3,047

14. David Ragan 3,039

15. Brian Vickers 2,854

16. Ryan Newman 2,853

17. Martin Truex Jr. 2,818

18. Jamie McMurray 2,659

19. Kurt Busch 2,622

20. Bobby Labonte 2,497

21. J.P. Montoya 2,487

22. Elliott Sadler 2,477

23. Travis Kvapil 2,477

24. Casey Mears 2,434

25. David Reutimann 2,427

26. David Gilliland 2,364

27. Mark Martin 2,270

28. Paul Menard 2,202

29. Reed Sorenson 2,022

30. Michael Waltrip 2,009

31. Dave Blaney 1,998

32. Robby Gordon 1,948

33. Sam Hornish Jr. 1,942

34. Regan Smith 1,930

35. Scott Riggs 1,912

36. Patrick Carpentier 1,603

37. AJ Allmendinger 1,526

38. Joe Nemechek 1,486

39. Michael McDowell 1,303

40. J.J. Yeley 1,263

41. Bill Elliott 848

42. Kyle Petty 750

43. Terry Labonte 699

44. Aric Almirola 671

45. Mike Skinner 618

46. Dario Franchitti 606

47. Jeremy Mayfield 578

48. Ken Schrader 520

49. Marcos Ambrose 400

50. Dale Jarrett 367

51. Tony Raines 334

52. Sterling Marlin 302

53. Johnny Sauter 232

54. Ron Fellows 200

55. Boris Said 194

56. Jason Leffler 192

Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season.

-Mike Forde, NASCAR -